About JP Rail.com

This website is unofficial website about Japan Rail Pass, other rail passes and rail travel in Japan. It explains you how to use Japan Rail Pass and assists you to use Japan Rail Pass to its maximum! And also this site explain about many more rail passes, gives you tips and supports you to enjoy rail trip in Japan.

This pass covers Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, Miyajima and Hakata. You can take any trains in the coverage area with a few exception. If you will be a temporary visitor, you are eligible to purchase this deal.

If you have round trip from Osaka to Hakata, this pass is much cheaper than single fares. But if you travel outside of Kansai area or just go to Hiroshima, you may consider other deals.

Area

This pass covers Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Kansai Airport, Himeji and Sanyo line (both Shinkansen and Conventional line) to Hakata. You can get Okayama, Hiroshima, Kurashiki, Iwakuni and all stations on the way to Hakata. If you intend to visit Hakata, Shinkansen is only way to get there. Once you are in Kyushu, only Shinkansen to Hakata is covered by this pass. You can find the detailed map at the JR West official site map (PDF).

Other part of Japan, such as Hokkaido, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Takayama and most part of Kyushu are not covered by JR West Sanyo Area Pass. So if you plan to travel throughout Japan or travel Tokyo, Hokkaido or Kyushu, Japan Rail Pass is suitable for you.

There are a few exception. You have to be careful when you use this pass. I tell you these things clearly.

Tokaido Shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka

Even though it is in the coverage area, you cannot take Shinkansen train in this segment. Because Tokaido Shinkansen belongs to JR Central. It is same JR Group company and many trains go through both areas each other. But technically it is different company. Therefore you cannot get on it. When you depart from Kyoto and take Shinkansen, you have to take Special Rapid Service from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka and then transfer to Shinkansen train there.

Only Sanyo line

Sanyo Area Pass covers only Sanyo line and Sanyo Shinkansen. When you travel from Osaka to the west, you cannot step outside of Sanyo line except ferry to Miyajima from Miyajimaguchi. I show you some examples.

Between Okayama and Uno When you go to Naoshima, you need to access to Uno and get on ferry. But this pass covers only trip to Okayama. The segment between Okayama and Uno is extra.

Kyushu

Kyushu is not a territory of JR West but JR Kyushu. But Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata is owned by JR West. So you can get Hakata and Kokura in Kyushu by this pass. However you can get off at Kokura and Hakata only in Kyushu. Any other train services in Kyushu are not covered.

Price, eligibility and how to purchase

You can choose 4 day at 20,570 yen (child 10,280 yen) and 8 days at 30,860 yen (child 15,430 yen). This pass is available for temporary visitor only. If you are resident, you can’t purchase it. Please check the price and conditions on the JR West Sanyo Area Pass website.

You can purchase this pass at authorized travel agents or online. But it is very hard to find the authorized agent. Even travel agent who sells Japan Rail Pass sometimes sells only Japan Rail Pass. Procedure to issue JR East Pass is more complicated than Japan Rail Pass. So online and purchasing at the stations will be the way to purchase. If you want to purchase it on the spot, you can purchase it at the major stations. You can find the the list of sales location at the official site of JR West Sanyo Area Pass.

Valid period

You can choose any 4 days or 8 days. One day means 0:00 to 23:59. So try to start in the morning. It does not make sense to start to use in the evening.

You can purchase this pass only once per visit. If you travel 8 days or more, you have to find other deal. However Japan Rail Pass 7 days is sold at 28300 yen and 14 days pass is sold at 45100 yen. And also Green pass is not available for Sanyo Area Pass. If you think about 7 day or more or taking Green car, you should compare with Japan Rail Pass.

Compare to single fares

Base fare and surcharge for the major segments are the following. Please compare the price of Sanyo Area Pass and these fares. If you use Sanyo Area Pass, these following fare (base fare and surcharge) are covered.*All surcharges in the following table are regular season rate. In peak season, another 200 yen is added on regular surcharge. In shoulder season, 200 yen is subtracted from regular surcharge. Base fare is same in all season.

Segment

Base fare

Surcharge

Osaka – Kyoto

540 yen

–

Osaka – Sannomiya (Kobe)

390 yen

–

Osaka – Nara

780 yen

–

Kyoto – Nara

690 yen

–

Osaka – Himeji

1450 yen

2910 yen

Osaka – Kansai Airport

1320 yen

1450 yen

Osaka – Okayama

2940 yen

2920 yen (*1)

Osaka – Hiroshima

5460 yen

4490 yen (*1)

Osaka – Miyajimaguchi

5780 yen

4490 yen (*1)

Hiroshima – Miyajimaguchi

400 yen

–

Osaka – Hakata

9350 yen

5240 yen (*1)

*1 This rate is applied for Hikari, Sakura and Kodama. Another 200 yen is added on this surcharge for getting on Nozomi and Mizuho.

As you see, if you have round trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima from Osaka, it is almost same value of 4 days Sanyo Area Pass.

Validity

I compare JR West Sanyo Area Pass, Kansai WIDE Area Pass and Japan Rail Pass.

*1 Nozomi and Mizuho are not covered. *2 Only non reserved seat is covered. You cannot take reserved seat by Kansai WIDE Area Pass.

Japan Rail Pass gives you unlimited travel by most of trains throughout Japan. But it does not cover Nozomi and Mizuho. This disadvantage is the biggest advantage of Sanyo Area Pass actually. You can take any trains on Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata.

Itsukushima Shrine in MiyajimaOn the other hand, Kansai WIDE Area Pass may be considerable. If you have a plan to visit Hiroshima and Miyajima, Kansai WIDE Area Pass may be cheaper. Please see the following break down:

Total fares are 13180 yen. Kansai WIDE Area Pass is sold at 7000 yen. So grand total is 20180 yen. And Kansai WIDE Area Pass covers Kinosaki, Shirahama, Shingu, Wakayama and Hikone where are not covered by Sanyo Area Pass.

Since reserved seat is not covered by Kansai WIDE Area Pass, I cannot recommend to use this pass in peak periods, such as New Years holidays, Golden week (late April to 1st week of May) and mid August. But Kansai WIDE Area Pass may be give you more benefit.

Conclusion

If you have very simple itinerary to visit Hakata from Kansai Airport or Osaka in 4 days at 20000 yen, this pass is the best deal. As I mentioned you above, Kansai WIDE Area Pass may be better deal to visit Hiroshima if you visit other cities around Kansai area.

However if you pay another 2000 yen, JR West also sells Sanyo-Shikoku-Kyushu northern version 5 days at 22000 yen. You can visit many popular spots in northern Kyushu, such as Yufuin, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Aso and Beppu.

If you pay another 6300 yen, you can purchase 7 days JR Pass at 28300 yen.

To be honest, it is very difficult to use 8 days Sanyo Area Pass. I think only case that 8 days Sanyo Area Pass is the best is Osaka-Hakata round trip in 8 days. Otherwise honestly 8 days pass does not meet your trip in most of cases.

I am touring Kyushu for 4 days (Hakata, Yufuin, Beppu) and travel from Hakata to Kyoto then Osaka on 5th day one way trip. Does Sanyo pass work for my itinerary or should I buy a Kyushu northern pass for 3Days and purchase separate shinkansen ticket for Hakata to Kyoto?

I bought the 8days Sanyo pass for my trip in Feb last yr. It does cover the ferry to miyajima from miyajimaguchi though. The JR ferry at miyajimaguchi is run by JR west. Their website also say its covered though :).

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Please do not ask me to make your itinerary. Because I am not your personal travel agent. I am very happy to check your itinerary. But please try to make the plan by yourself. In this website, there are lots of resources to make your plan.

Please do not ask me about the access to your hotel. You can google your hotel and find it at hotel website or google map easily.

I cannot recommend any hotels other than which I have stayed. Basically I cannot talk about hotels in this site. The number of hotels are too many to talk about by my experience.

If you want to ask me which pass suits your plan, please tell me your detailed itinerary and location to stay. I cannot choose any deals without the detailed itinerary because I have to compare the total single fare and deals.

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